Stage-compression internal-combustion engine.



A. BEETJE.

STAGE COMPRESSION INTERNAL GOMBUSTION ENGINE.

LSQ.,

APPLICATION FILED JUNE-30. 1905.

' a SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Patented 0011:. 10, 19M..

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 30. 1905.

Patented Oct. 10, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2,

tain new and useful Improvements in Stegeopposite ends of thev compressor cylinder, Compression Internal-Combustion Engines, lwhereby the beginning or the compression of Whichy the following is a' specification. stroke may be delayed and the output of the 'This invention relates to the regulation ci compressor diminished from its maximum, compound internal-combustion motors, and for reguletive purposes. The exheust-pipe 4 it consists in certain improvements of which 25 of the explosioncylinder leads into e 60 a preferred embodiment Will now be decooling-chamber 26 in which a. pool of Water scribed. v is maintained by `automatic feeding means Cf the accompanying drewings:1 `igure 1 or otherwise, and the het explosion gases .represents a diagrammatic View of en interpassing through the perforated lower yend nel-combustion power apparatus constructed of the exhaust-pipe 25, have their tempereaccording to'my invention. Fig. 2 refe tufereduced fend create a. body of steam sents a. cross-section on the line 2-2 or" 1 5 1h passes with the exhaust gases through l, showing the cooling-chamber existing b. 28 leading from the upper part of the tween the high-pressure and lowpressure chamber to the low-pressure motor motors. Fig. 3 represents an elevation ot 2 e `letter is here shown es a double- 70 the governor taken on the line 3*-3 of Fig. soil. reciproca ting engine ,of the steam-en- 1. igs; fi and 5 represent diagrams of the gine type having its piston connected with processes in the compressor and high-piese.y crank 3G on the same orenk-shett 31 with sure motor cylinders respectively.- the cranks 32 of the high-pressure motor 10,

The same reference characters indice-tc The piston of the latter drives the pistons the same parts in ell the figures.' of compressors 14, 16 by e straight-line con-- Referring et first to Fig. 1, 10 indicates e nec ion from e cross-head 33. The cranks double-acting high-pressure motor including SG 32 may be placed. et an angle ot' 90. cylinder' 11, piston 12, and exhaust-port 18 is the distributingyelve of the motor 24 midway of the cylinder. 14 is an eir-com-- operated from crank-shaft 31. 35, 35 are 80 pressor supplying the two ends of the cylintwo auxiliary exhaust-valves for the eXplo defi through e pipe 15, and 16 is e. ges-comsion-cylinder l1, the function of `Whichwill pressor supplying the two ends through e he later described. 50, 5() are igniters of the `pipe 17. The compressed air pipe 15 usuel charac-ter in theends of cylinder 11. L. `branches et 18, 19, the brunch 1S leading di- The operation of the mechanism thus fer S5 rectilyto the motor-cylinder through en in- 'described is :is follows: Compressors 14. end 'teicooler 20 supplied. with circulating wir 416 et euch sirol're drew in air end gas et subter, anda the branch 19 leading to the comstnntiully atmospheric pressure and' compressed-ges pipe '1? through e device 21 press them to e moderate pressure, say 6 vwhich..muy"'represent either e. carburetor or atmospheres or 90 lbs. absolute. ln the 9o a gas-producer 'according to Whether liquid euse of oil or solid fuel in the4 curburcter or. 'fuel orsoiid uel'is to be supplied Within the producer 21, the gus-compressor 1G is out ot pressure circuit, instead ofthe preexisting use or sets as en auxiliary air-compressor, gaseous' fuel compressedby compressor 1o. es already stated, and e portion of the comjv In such a case the gas-compressor 16 maybe pressed eir becomes over-cerbureted or fuel- 95 Beit known'thet l, Stoner A. Bumm, of

.dispensed-With or operated es enlauxiliery slimmer SIDNE.r A'. REVE, OFfVOBCESTER, TYIASSCHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, .BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TOC. Il?. POWER COMPANY, OF MEXX/TARE, 'NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION 0F NEW' JERSEY,

A STAGE-GOMRESSEON Il`fiFERNAL-COMBSTION ENGXIE.

Specicetcno ietters Estant. l Patented @43th, 1G, 3191i.

Application led June S0, 1905. Serial No. 267,719.'

To all whom i may concer-.1.'

Worcester, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts', have invented een' air-compressor. The gas-pipeiconteins gas inter-cooler 22 proyided with Water-cinculation, and its two branches leading to the opposite ends of the 'explosion-cylinder con#` tain admission-valves 23, 23 operated from lthe crankshaft` 31. The gascompressor 16 is, also shown with s by-pess vel-ve 2/1v operated from the crankshaft and connecting charged Ain 21 and goes to the explosion@ cylinder by Way of the ges-admission pipe f 17. A compression of something like 6 atl.

`mospheres" or less representsthe pressure at which the charge is tired in en ordinary same proportion to initial pressure as the first stage, that is, to one-sixth of its volume at the end of thev first stage, giving a finalpressure of 36 atmospheres or 540 lbs. absolute. These figures are illustrative merely, and may be more or less, departed from in practice without varying the principle of operation. Between stages, the charge is cooled in the intercoolers 20, 22, and if that cooling restores to the partially-compressed charge its original temperature before compression, then, n O'lecting the eiiects of residual heat in 4cylinder l1, the second stage of compression, in the example given, will result in no higher temperature than the first stage. By this means I avoid pre-ignition of the charge which might occur on the comression-stroke of piston 12 if the charge ad entered cylinder 1l at an initial high temperature, and furthermore I considerably reduce 'the work of compression by removing the compression-heat between stages. That heat could not be eectively removed for either purpose by merely water-jacketing the compressors, which merely keeps the rubbsurfaces smooth and permits proper lubrication'. At the top of the compression-stroke in the explosion-cylinder 11 the charge 1s red by the igniter 50, is

partially expanded while doing work on piston 12 and lat the end of the outstroke is exhausted through port 13, pipe 25, coolingchamber 26, and pipe 28 into the low-pressure engine 29, where the mixture of steam and products of combustion, .still under a pressure approximating the intercooler-pressure of 6 atmospheres, expands still further n while doing work and is finally exhausted to atmosphere or into a condenser. The increase in pressure caused by explosion is in substantially the same ratio to the compression as in ordinary Otto engines, but since it takes place from 'a compression pressure of 540 lbs. absolute'or. thereabout, the result is a maximum explosion pressure of from 2000 to 2500 lbs. per square inch or more in place of the ordinary maximum of about 500 lbs. experienced in single-cylinder engines. This enormous pressure could obviously not be handled practically in a single expansion cylinder, but it can be very easily handled by making the explosion-CyL inder of relatively-small diameter and strong construction, and exhausting into a larger or faster-running) low-pressure engine. The low-pressure engine might be a turbine, or might be either a turbine or reciprocatinfr `motor disconnected from the crank-shait of t-he explosion motor. The employment of a disconnected or independ ently-running low-pressure expander has certain special advantages which need not be here alluded to as I have set them forth in a copending application, Serial No. 349,019. If the low-pressure engine 29 Vis placed close to the high-pressure motor 10 with a short connecting passage, the water coolingschamber 26 may be omitted, but l prefer to employ'it or some equivalent since the conversion ofthe high-temperature heat into steam heat gives a fluid which may be transported. through k a comparatively-long passage and does not readily lose its heat to passage-walls or cylinderwalls. When the exhaustport 13 of the explosion-cylinder is uncovered by piston '12, admission of the next charge takes place from. the pipes 17, 18 and the entering charge blows out the residue of the exploded gases after the mann ner of Clerk 2-strolre-cycle engines. There is an important difference between the function of the re-compressor in the two cases, however. n the ordinary 2-cycle engine the pre-compressor merely acts as a displacer-cylinder whose charge is blown down to atmospheric pressure when the exhaust and admission ports are opened at the termination of the expansion stroke, the compression being then begun again from vthe atmos-` pheric level, while in my invention the precompressor performs the first stage in a plural-stage compression which is completed in the explosion-cylinder and the admission takes 'place against a strong back-pressure existing in the exhaust-pipe oit the highpressure motor. The proportions of the high-pressure motor and the pre-compressor are also altered, my high-pressure motor being smallerl in ldiameter relatively to the compressor since it takes a charge compressed into a smaller compass than the full volume of the initial compressor-cylinder. My invention is not wholly conned to thp, 2-stroke cycle since the high-pressure motor' may be of the 4-stroke cycle type.

It will be noted that by making the higltv pressure motor perform the final stage of a plural-stage compression I do away with one compressor-cylinder which would have to be added if the maximum compression pressure were reached before entrance otl the charge into the combustion-cylinder. With respect to the volumetric performances of the high-pressure motor in relation to both the external compressor and the external expander, it is to be noted that this relation depends both 'upon the relative geometric dimensions of these members and also their relative numbers of strokes or cycles, and that l may vary both the time factor and the geometric factor in these relations with out disturbing the relations themselves. Thus a turbine low-pressure expander would in eneral be of smaller relai ;ve dimensions an greater shat-speed than a reciprocat ing engine. l

For regulative purposes I show., speedgoverningotv the gas-compressor output, the gas-admission and exhaust of the explosioncylinder, and the cut-off of the low-pressure expander. An eccentric 36 on crankshaft 3l operates the gas-compressor by-pass valve 24 and the auxiliary exhaust-valves 35. Another eccentric 37 operates the gas admission-valves 23, .anda third eccentric 38 operates the low-pressure distributing valve 34. These are all linkedtogether and actuated by a combination centrifugal and inertia shaft-governor as shown in Fig. 3, which arrangement, although believed to be new' with me is-not claimed in the present application. Eccentric 37 is shaft 31 and provided with inertia weights 4l. A link 45 connects itwith eccentric 36 which is pivoted at 42 and provided .with centrifugal weight 43 and spring 44. The eccentric 38 is pivoted :1t-46 and has an arm 4T connected by link 49 with an arm 48 on the pintle of eccentric 3G.' The constant changes of acceleration in passing through the four quadrants, affecting the weights 4l, overcome the static friction of all the eccentrics and enable them to assume their proper average position under the influence of centrifugal force acting on the weight 43. At full load,` the compressor by-pass valve 24 and the auxiliary exhaust-valves 35 preferably do not open, and the admission-valves 23 and distributiug-valve 34 have their longest opening. In Figs.'4 and 5 the full- 35 line diagrams represent the indicator-cards for the gas-compressor and the explosion cylinders respectively under these circumstances. AQ R and S T indicate the deadcenter lines. At light loads the gas-com-` presser bypass valve 24 remains open during the early part of the compressionstroke and the compressor suction, instead oi' beiugopen only through the are F R (Fig. 4`) is open through an arc like F R G and the output of combustible gas is accordingly decreased and the power of the explosion cylinder diminished. At such times it is desirable to provide an earlier cutoli of thelow pressure expander QS) in order 2G constant or in stable equilibrium anr1 l is done by the governor action on valve 34.-- Ou the explosion cylinder diagram '(Fig. 5) the are lll represents that portion of the stroke during which the exhaust-port 13 is open. At light loads, by reason of the opcning of the auxiliary exhaust-valves through govcrnor-action, the exhaust might. be opened through an are H It L, and by the saine governor-action, the gas-admission valves Q3 would be opened and closed late, or through only the latter part of arc H K L. Since the air-compressor as here shown is not. governed, but delivers the same output at all loads, and-only a portionof the air pivoted on the to maintain the pressure in cooling-chamber'" mill.' l

-can be burned with fuel, which latter has been decreased in quantity, Athe excess air may be sent ahead of the fuel through the explosion-cylinder, to scavenge the latter. Scavenging would then'take place through 7o an are like K and admisison of'fuel to form a .combustible mixture with the air remaining inthe explosion cylinder, through the arcKL. t

The above: regulative mechanism is suitable'for 'a constantespeed engine. F or a variable-speed machine, essentially the same valve-mechanism may -be'em loyed7 preferably modifed however 'by sudlstituting hand or othercoutrollinginfiuence forthe centrifugal governor.

Owing to my novel arrangement of parts, the pressure of the scavenging air is not lost, but doesuseful Work` in the low-pressure cylinder 29 and this air receives some heat by passing through the` 'explosion cylinder and passages. y.

This engine may be regulated through wider limits than the ordinary explosion engine, because a considerable portion of its total power. is developed in a low-pressure. expander of steam-engine form, 'capable of receiving steam-engine regulation, which as is well known, may be more nearly approximated to the load, while the engine is capable of wider variations of speed under heavy load, than is the ordinary gas-engine.

I claim i 1. The combination of a two-stroke cycle l explosion motor having serially-related high pressure explosion and low pressure expansion cylinders and their pistons, external means for charging said high-pressure cylinder with air and fuel under pres- A sure, means for holdingthe high-pressure exhaust open to the low-pressure cylinder for a variable part of the cycle to scavenge and charge the high-pressure cylinder, and means-for admitting fuel to the latter during a period inversely. related to the `dura- .110 tion o exhaust opening.

2. The combination of an intermittentfiring linternal l combustionV high-'pressure motor, means, including a ixe'd-intake aircompressor, for charging the same with air and fuel under pressure, a low-pressure mo.-` tor operated by the pressure of the exhaust j gases from said high-pressure motor, and means controlled automatically according to the load on said high-pressure motor for sending a variable portion of the compressed air unburned to the low-pressure motor.

3. The lcombination of an intermittentfiring internal combustion high; pressure -1notor, au arr-compressor and separate fuel- 125 charging means-*for said motor, a vlow-pressure motor operated by the pressure of thev exhaust gases from said high-pressure motor,and means for sending a variable portinnof thev output .of said compressor-un- EL3() 5 adapted to exhaust against a. back-pressure,

burned to the low-pressure motor and con# varying thev intake of the compressor angl jointly varying the quantity of fuel-charge the freedom ofthe motor exhaust. M

to the high-pressure motor. In testimony whereof I have axed my 4. The combination of an explosion motor signature, in presence of two Witnesses.

V SIDNEY A. REEVE. an external compressor for charging the Witnesses:

same, lind means controlled by the speed ofV JAS. H. CHURGHHL, said motor for simultaneously and inversely J. MURPHY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents eah, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington," D. C. 

